Europe’s Cheapest City Break Destinations Revealed In New Study

City Break Index: The Most Affordable European Cities Revealed 

• Istanbul is the most affordable destination for a European city break and Dublin tops the list as the most expensive destination 
• Italy is home to five of the top 20 most affordable city break destinations, with Naples, Bologna, Milan, Florence and Rome all featuring in the top 20 overall 
• Three UK cities make up the top five most expensive European city breaks, with Edinburgh, Manchester and London ranking in third, fourth and fifth respectively
• Istanbul is the most affordable destination for a European city break and Dublin tops the list as the most expensive destination 
• Italy is home to five of the top 20 most affordable city break destinations, with Naples, Bologna, Milan, Florence and Rome all featuring in the top 20 overall 
• Three UK cities make up the top five most expensive European city breaks, with Edinburgh, Manchester and London ranking in third, fourth and fifth respectively

A new study by the financial comparison company money.co.uk has revealed the most affordable and most expensive destinations across Europe for those looking to enjoy a city break. 

Istanbul is revealed as the most affordable European destination for a city break, with the Turkish city averaging out at just over £68 in total. The city is well known for being a historical and cultural hub, where visitors can enjoy some of the top sights such as the top-rated attraction Dolmabahce Palace for less than £6.50. Other affordable destinations include the Greek city Thessaloniki and the German city of Berlin, with the average cost of a break in each of the cities setting you back just over £78.82 and £87.25, respectively. Whilst the cost of travel and a glass of wine will cost you more in Berlin compared to Thessaloniki, a visit to the top-rated attraction is free meaning you can save yourself some money when looking to take in the sights. 

Italy is also home to five of the top 20 most affordable city breaks, with the southern city of Naples being the fifth cheapest break costing travellers just over £99 in total for a break. Other cities also featuring as the most affordable include Bologna, Milan and Florence where a break will set you back between £116 and £135. The capital city, Rome, is the most costly Italian city break at just over £140 in total. 

Top 20 Cheapest European City Break Destinations 

Rank	City	Average cost Airbnb (£)	Bus Fare (£)	Top-Rated Attraction (£)	White Wine (£)	Cheapest Meal (£)	Total (£)
1	Istanbul, Turkey	51.38	0.71	6.46	4.81	4.92	68.28
2	Thessaloniki, Greece	62.25	1.52	6.66	3.27	5.02	78.72
3	Berlin, Germany	62.83	7.42	0.00	4.19	12.81	87.25
4	Porto, Portugal	73.74	5.40	9.16	2.51	7.90	98.71
5	Naples, Italy	77.08	3.80	8.33	2.93	6.88	99.02
6	Athens, Greece	72.90	3.46	16.65	3.77	5.82	102.60
7	Valencia, Spain	69.55	12.66	19.82	2.26	7.02	111.31
8	Bologna, Italy	99.69	5.06	0.00	2.51	9.44	116.70
9	Lisbon, Portugal	82.12	5.44	15.82	6.70	6.88	116.96
10	Antwerp, Belgium	92.15	6.33	5.00	4.19	11.36	119.03
11	Vienna, Austria	69.54	4.89	41.64	3.77	5.82	125.66
12	Brussels, Belgium	77.09	6.58	8.33	4.60	32.44	129.04
13	Florence, Italy	103.04	11.81	10.00	4.50	3.74	133.09
14	Milan, Italy	103.08	3.80	16.66	4.60	6.40	134.54
15	Munich, Germany	107.26	6.92	8.33	5.86	7.02	135.39
16	Rome, Italy	107.27	5.90	16.67	2.93	7.49	140.26
17	Barcelona, Spain	88.81	13.84	24.98	3.35	10.05	141.03
18	Stockholm, Sweden	101.71	10.49	13.32	8.29	11.44	145.25
19	Paris, France	108.11	11.13	13.33	5.90	8.92	147.39
20	Madrid, Spain	113.10	7.08	12.50	2.90	13.73	149.31

Dublin tops the list as the most expensive city break, with an average night’s stay setting you back an eye-watering £252.88. The city is known for being one of the pricier cities to visit, with the cost of travel for 24-hours setting you back £8.43 and a visit to the top-rated attraction in the city being over £20. Meanwhile, in the UK, whilst you might expect London to come out as the priciest city break, it’s Edinburgh taking the top spot for UK cities – with a visit costing an average of over £229, followed by Manchester coming in at an average of £208.45. 

Making up the rest of the top ten most expensive city breaks are Zurich, London, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Oslo and Geneva. The Scandinavian destinations do have a reputation of being on the most costly side, whilst a visit to a top attraction might be more affordable than some other cities, a glass of wine could cost you just under £10 in Oslo. 

12 most expensive European city break destinations

Rank	City	Average Airbnb (£)	Bus Fare (£)	Top-Rated Attraction (£)	White Wine (£)	Cheapest Meal (£)	Total (£)
1	Dublin, Ireland	252.88	8.43	20.83	5.94	11.65	299.73
2	Prague, Czech Republic	210.00	4.15	8.58	4.62	5.63	232.98
3	Edinburgh, United Kingdom	190.00	4.50	18.00	5.25	11.60	229.35
4	Manchester, United Kingdom	164.00	4.20	25.00	4.25	11.00	208.45
5	Zurich, Switzerland	142.29	11.65	23.18	5.78	17.20	200.10
6	London, United Kingdom	145.00	5.20	29.90	5.70	8.32	194.12
7	Amsterdam, Netherlands	137.40	7.17	16.66	4.60	14.06	179.89
8	Copenhagen, Denmark	126.73	18.13	11.37	5.92	16.98	179.13
9	Oslo, Norway	113.15	9.43	11.46	9.87	12.07	155.98
10	Geneva, Switzerland	112.23	8.43	11.99	3.68	18.02	154.35
11	Seville, Spain	121.47	4.22	12.08	2.59	12.89	153.25
12	Bristol, United Kingdom	111.00	5.30	19.50	3.99	9.95	149.74

To see the full research, and find out more on the most affordable and expensive European cities, visit: https://www.money.co.uk/travel/city-break-index